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| Barbra Streisand will receive award in recognition of her career Photo: © Russel James/Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival |
The singing star, who is also an accomplished director, producer and screenwriter, will receive the accolade on Saturday, May 23.
Streisand said: “It is with a sense of pride and deep humility, that I’m honored to join the company of past Honorary Palme d’or recipients whose work has long inspired me.
“In these challenging times, movies have the ability to open our hearts and minds to stories that reflect our shared humanity, and to perspectives that remind us of both our fragility and our resilience. Cinema transcends borders and politics, and affirms the power of imagination to shape a more compassionate world.”
In addition to 19 film roles, Streisand has three directorial credits and became the first woman to win Best Original Song at the Oscars in 1977 for Evergreen from A Star Is Born. She had already scooped a statuette in 1969 for Funny Girl. She also became the first woman to win a Best Director at the Golden Globes, for Yentl. Beyond her screen work, she has notched up 37 studio albums, 13 soundtracks and 10 Grammy awrds, becoming the only artist to reach number one in album sales for six consecutive decades. She has been in the news again this week after singing a snatch of The Way We Were in tribute to her old friend Robert Redford at the Oscars.
Iris Knobloch, President of the Festival de Cannes, said: “This year, we were keen to pay tribute to an artist who made her mark through the power of her art and her uncompromising pursuit of freedom. As a woman, I am delighted to be able to express our admiration for this consummate creator and courageous citizen, whose example stands the test of time and continues to inspire.”
Among her other notable film roles are Hello Dolly!, The Way We Were, The Mirror Has Two Faces and The Prince Of Tides.
Festival Director Thierry Frémaux said: “A global star, Barbra Streisand is above all an artist, initiating projects that reflect who she is, that are her own and that she shares with the whole world. She is the legendary synthesis between Broadway and Hollywood, between the music hall stage and the big screen. Hearing her sing and seeing her perform are part of our best years.”
